Users of mobile devices (such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, computer tablets, or the like) routinely encounter network environments in which the mobile device is capable of sending and receiving data over two or more distinct available networks (or “service bearers”). For example, the mobile device may be capable of accessing a network under macro coverage, such as Global System for Mobile/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (GSM/UMTS), while simultaneously being capable of accessing a network under WiFi coverage. In such situations, it is desirable for the mobile device to choose the appropriate bearer based on a variety of factors determined by the service provider and by the user of the mobile device.
In current systems, the mobile device typically monitors available bearers manually such that a bearer change occurs only when the user makes a conscious decision to switch from a current bearer to a new bearer. This current process of user-initiated bearer selection often results in inefficient use of available network resources. For example, a user who desires to download a large file may initially perform a check to determine which service bearers are available. Upon performing the check, the user may determine that only one service bearer is currently available, such as a Third Generation (3G) telecommunications network. In the current example, the user must download the file over the 3G network because no other service bearers are available for selection. However, moments later, a WiFi network that was previously unavailable now becomes available. The new availability of the WiFi network could result from the user physically moving in range of the WiFi network that was previously out of range, or the new availability may result from a WiFi network being brought online from an offline state.
In either instance, once the WiFi network is available, current mobile devices maintain the slower connection to the 3G network that the user previously selected. The mobile device does not automatically switch from the slower 3G network to the faster WiFi network until the user first notices that the WiFi network is now available and then manually switches the mobile device from the 3G network to the WiFi network. Commonly, a significant amount of time may elapse before the user notices the availability of a faster network because the user typically does not actively monitor the status of the mobile device, particularly when waiting for a large file to download. Therefore, inefficiency results when a mobile device remains on a slower network when a faster network is available.
In present systems, similar inefficiencies may occur from the perspective of the telecommunications service provider. For example, if a mobile service subscriber opts to pay for a middle tier service plan, the service provider may desire to place that subscriber's mobile device on a slower network (such as 3G), if available, rather than allowing the subscriber to consume resources on the service provider's premium network (such as a Fourth Generation (4G) telecommunications network). If a middle tier subscriber powers on his or her mobile device in an area having only a premium network (such as 4G) available, current systems may enable the middle tier subscriber to remain on the premium network even after the subscriber enters an area where a non-premium network (such as 3G) is available in addition to the 4G network. From the service provider's perspective, this would result in an inefficient use of system resources because the middle tier subscriber would continue to consume resources intended for subscribers who have opted to pay an increased fee for access to the service provider's premium network.